230-365 Year3 Tommy Godwin Is Stranger #100Image by johngarghan
Take a photo every day in 2011
I wanted Stranger number 100 to be special and Tommy is very special. It began almost a year to the day when Sean Meets my Flickr contact in South Africa contacted me and asked me to find Tommy because as Sean said “he is a living God and lives in Birmingham”. Tommy is a proud Olympian having two Cycling Bronze medals at the 1948 Olympics in London for the 1km Time Trial and the Team Pursuit, he dominated the sport in the 1940s and 50s and then went on to manage the British Olympic team. Tommy is an Ambassador for the Olympic Games when they return to London next year, and this is one of the reasons its taken so long to organise the photo shoot he has a full diary that takes him all over the country.

I spent an amazing afternoon with Tommy he showed me his medals, his photographs and told me about his races abroad representing his country in the Olympics and Empire Games. Now when we talk about the Empire Games you realised that Tommy is 90, going on 50, he is extremely fit, and mentally alert, in the 3 hours I was with him only once did he have to stop and recollect his thoughts and he moved around without the slightest sign of an ache or stiffness. He has been advised that riding his bike on the modern roads would be too dangerous but here he is on the bike he used going round that track at the Olympicswww.youtube.com/watch?v=X5od4mA-A_k

Excellent work J. I understand you patience and well worth it.
There was no carbon fibre frames and low resistance lycra suites around back then to ease their way.
I hope he gets to do a demonstration ride at the Olympics next year, he looks fit enough.
An inspiration to all.

It’s strange…life that is. We grow up, and grow old far to quickly John. As a child you have hero’s, some real, and some imaginary or fictitious. Even when you grow up you have hero’s too. Now I’ve had my fair share of hero’s, the most noticeable ones are Ayrton Senna, and no longer with with, God rest his soul, and then we are fortunate enough to have ones still walking the face of the earth…and if you look carefully, though they are old, as is the case with Tommy, he leaves great big footprints wherever he goes…he leaves an impression on one, as I’m sure you know what I mean.

Some people, hero’s, Idols, Gods, call them what you like, have real big ego’s too, and to me that is so "off putting", until you get to meet the humblest of them all, a man or woman who has reached greatness in life, yet is glued to the ground. What I wouldn’t give give to spend just a few moments of time with a legend, not just a legend in the wonderful city of Birmingham, but an international legend at that. I’m sure the visit still lingers fresh in your mind…and that feeling, that knowing, that just for a few hours that day, you spent it with a humble living legend. I’m sure he’ll be a great ambassador for the olympics…and I’m sure he’ll follow the cycling events, especially the track cycling events, with a tear or two in his eye, and think back, and agree with my opening statement that life really is too short, and it seems like just yesterday it was him racing for glory.

Love the shots John, and thanks for the time and effort, bless you. Now where did I put my bicycle pump??